Open letter to Deep Tracks.

Deep Tracks is fast becoming MTV. And that is not a good thing.

Several years ago -- and several hundred dollars ago -- I discovered Deep Tracks. What a wonderful concept for a radio station. When I heard Batdorf and Rodney (Batdorf and Rodney, for cryin' out loud!!) and Rory Gallagher and Strawbs and Garland Jeffreys, oh my gosh, what a musical delight. Throw them in with Traffic and Kinks and Stones and Hendrix and Dylan, and it's musical heaven. I was hooked. I have been ever since.

Radio can be such a joy. Part of that is the anticipation, wondering what's coming next. What will they play? Who is that? Do I remember it? What memories does that song bring back?

And then . . . Deep Tracks started playing . . . shows.

This weekend it's all Pink FLoyd all the time. What were you thinking?

Your DJs had it right originally: A little intro and outro and just play music. What caused you to change? What were you smoking? You had not just a good thing, but a wonderful thing, and you are ruining it.

Last week on the way home I heard a discussion of politics. Politics for god's sake. And don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining about the political slant. It was my slant. I agreed. But it was talking. Where was the music? It went on and on and on.

Right now I feel like I'm being cheated. Give me a good reason to continue my subscription. Why should I not just plug in my iPod, which is filled with the same stuff as your playlist? Sure, that takes away the surprise to a certain extent . . . I know what I bought . . . but I know no one will be talking. (Except for that one Todd Rundgren cut . . . and oh yeah, Neil Young at the Riverboat; "Heh, heh . . . thank you, crowd.").

If I want talk I have loads of FM stations, or NPR. If I want an hour of the same group in concert, well, I saw all the Don Kirshner's Rock Concerts. Been there, done that. Give me one cut, then move on.

Used to be that if I didn't really like the cut that was playing, at least I could anticipate something different next cut. No more.

I couldn't agree with you more. I listened to probably 16-20 hours of "deep tracks" this weekend and most of the Pink Floyd stuff was OK but I rarely heard the nostalgic old Floyd stuff. They replayed everything from the Wall over & over. Also on other weekends I don't mind an occasional Tom Petty "buried treasure" but when it replayed three to four times and I just happen to be listening to it, well I have to change the station. They are honestly only playing a fouth to a third of "true deep tracks" that are out there in existence. Lets get off your hind end and dig up the rest and start playing them

I agree totally with how the programming on Deep tracks has steadly declined in recents months. IF I hear one or two "true " deep tracks an hour now Im elated. Since Earle "I repeat the same tag lines over and over" Bailey took over for George Taylor Morris the proggramming has steadly declined during his shows. And now he brings his crap to Classic Vinyl to mess that format up. I know the "deep Tracks music" is available for playing because Micheal Tearson has no problem finding them to play but I will say in recent weeks even his show has fallen on more main stream music and artists. Then along comes this Meg Griffin who wouldnt know a deep track if it reach out played one for her. SHe has really dragged down the music during her morning show. I had only one choice left after complaining to SiriusXm about programming and that was to hit them where it hurts the most...in the pocket book so I canceled by suscription. They offered to let me have it for 2 months free and I declined and told them to fix there deep tracks programing and I would return a paying customer. SirusXm better wake up before all of there Deep Tracks listeners go the same way as me...and stop paying to listen to stuff you can hear on FREE radio.

Been a listener for 10 years so far. Have 5 subscriptions. Loved Deep tracks. Dan Neer who came from XM & Harris Allen ( the Program director and also DJ) were the best Period. Now they put Dan on the weekend & stuck us with Jim Ladd who in my opinion should of stayed fired (Bring back Dan). Tonight I listened to his political comments which he should of kept to himself. If I wanted to hear that crap I would of listened to Fox or CNN.

Deep tracks is all about the music, DJ's that know music, can talk about artists & know what they are talking about "it's their passion ( Vince Scelsa, Meg Griffin, Harris Allen, Dan Neer to name a few) Not some over paid jock who lives in the LA hills & just because he know's a few artists, he gets a show. Pink floyd OK, but there is just enough of Pink Floyd a person can take. Don't get me wrong I'm a Floyd fan, But after that weekend of Floyd on Deep tracks I was seriously thinking of sitting in the tub & slitting my wrists. I did listen to the floyd channel for about a hour & had to switch stations. I will not return.

Please if Jim Ladd has to stay, Have someone else program the music. Someone who has a passion for music, not someone who is full of himself. Tom petty does a better job than Ladd. Maybe get some guest artists ( just the artist) to play their favorite stuff. Make it interesting that's what I'm paying my money for.

one more observation, Let Oprah or Martha Stewart do Ladds show. You pay them enough money. Anythings better than Ladd.

Deep Tracks is still the best thing in broadcast music there is. I love the interesting themes and playlists and anocdotes about the musicians, or stories about the band the musicians, etc. I didn't think I would like the interviews with Roger Waters and Joe Walsh, but I did listen to them and liked them. Would I like them to be a standard feature?...maybe if they interviewed people like Robert Plant, Eric Clapton, Paul Kantner, John Lennon (oh, sorry, he's dead), as long as they are high quality and don't take a lot of radio time. I think the DJ's are absolutely awesome and I like some of the stories the DJ's have to tell.

I drive a lot and Deep Tracks is my companion and makes my trips go so much better. I am so in-love with Deep Tracks, I have been thinking about streaming it online and mobile.

They also play some of the great tracks that were a big part of my playlists: Todd Rundgren, Dave Davies, Rory Gallagher, Mott The Hoople, Bad Company, Rare Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Poco, Manassas, Byrds, Grand Funk, Tommy Bolin, Alice Cooper, Rare Beatles, Live Sets, Covers by Great Bands, Robin Trower, Robert Plant, and so many more great songs by great musicians and great context about the songs.

This is the coolest and hippest music station ON THE PLANET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rock On Deep Tracks....I will be listening and singing along and sniffling on some.

To the Naysayers....nothing is perfect, so just appreciate the good parts...and there is so much to enjoy.
To Deep Tracks: As the Sunscreen song says, "Remember the compliments and forget the criticisms, and when you figure out how to do that, tell me!"

Nice comments Cody. I pretty much agree with you also about deep tracks being the best station on Sirius/XM. I probably get to listen to it 25% of my week. Sometimes (when the wife is gone) I even play it all night long while sleeping. It can be very therapeutic! Anyways the "repeat" broadcasts on weekends, which accounts for most of my listening during the summer months, drive me nuts and thus I tune into something else for that time. There still are several good groups that I rarely hear anything from, which should be played as they too contributed to rock & roll history. Blood Sweat & Tears is a good example of one I've yet to hear. I could list other groups but no time. Anyways on the positive side of things, this station has enlightened me to MANY groups I've either never heard of, or heard very little from. It still amazes me to this day some of the music that I never knew existed and that reassures me of how I value what deep tracks has to offer.

It would be nice to see them branch off another station "deep tracks & talk" to where such a station would specifically offer up the interviews with artists, Tom Petty's buried treasure, etc.,and any other time consuming rock history lesson. This way the original Deep Tracks can strictly play the lost & forgotten rock & roll tunes with absolutely NO interruptions and NO DJ's.

Last week on the way home I heard a discussion of politics. Politics for god's sake. And don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining about the political slant. It was my slant. I agreed. But it was talking. Where was the music? It went on and on and on.

Right now I feel like I'm being cheated. Give me a good reason to continue my subscription. Why should I not just plug in my iPod, which is filled with the same stuff as your playlist

I used to love Deep Tracks. But Jim Ladd is a tool! I've tried to give him a chance, and from time to time he does pull up a good cut, BUT HIS SHOWS ARE RIDDLED WITH REPEATS. He has a set of about fifty songs and he'll play them every night. Deep Tracks is about good music that gets no air-time not the same stuff every day/show. The other night he tried to explain his "theme" programing, he doesn't get it. He's a hack, in my book. I don't care that he's rubbed shoulders with the greats. His format is lazy and is NOT in keeping with the Deep Tracks genre. The last thing I want to hear about are is political views!

XM/Sirrus better wake up soon. Dump this guy, or stuff him on another channel. Pandora is really looking like a better option.